Tiny Backseat Driver
In daycare these past two weeks, Bean has been learning about directions. Specifically the phrases “this way” and “that way.”
Now, whenever we get into the car, Bean becomes the world’s tiniest, most assertive backseat driver. He barks out orders as we drive.
“This way, Momma!” or “That way, Momma!” he’ll say, pointing where he wants me to drive.
When I end up going a different direction, he acts like I have personally insulted him by not taking his advice. Typical male.
The thing that kind of impresses me about this new Garmin-esque Bean is that in the mornings when we are driving to school, he knows just how to get to the interstate from our house. The first morning he did it, I thought it was just a coincidence that he was “this way-ing” and “that way-ing” the right way, but every morning he repeats the directions to me, always leading me right to the interstate.
The things that Bean picks up on during the course of the day-to-day activities of our family never ceases to amaze me. And I love that now he’s learning the words to be able to tell me that he knows our routine. Child development is such a crazy, cool thing.
27 Comments
Ali
He looks so grown up in that first picture! It really is a crazy, cool thing.
Ashley
My nephew does the same thing when he rides with me, and I am amazed every single time! 🙂 I LOVE IT!
Laura
So clever! Wow!!!
Michelle @ Mambo Gook
That is SO interesting! He’s such a smart man! Thanks for sharing!
Alyssa
I wasn’t even sure that the first pic was Bean! He’s getting so big and grown up looking 🙂
Andrea
It is amazing how quickly they pick these things up. I started doing this with our kids when we would go for walks around our community, to get the mail or go to the pool. Start saying left and right for his this way and that way when you make the turns. The little guy will know directions in no time, then he can teach the newbie!
Margaret
Beyond the absolute hilarity of the fact that he knows his way around Florida, I can’t believe how OLD he looks now! Totally ready to be a big brother!
Sarah @ ExPat Bride
What amazes me is that you are still driving!!!! 🙂
Jayne
Just goes to show tat itty bitty kiddies know what’s going on and aren’t mere puppets for entertainment purposes. I once had a lady (a grandma in fact) telling me that it was pointless to discipline her 1.5 year old grandson cos “he won’t understand it anyway.” With all due respect, I said nothing because I’m a childless 20-plus year old mofo. But I know real well that disciplining can be understood even for a newborn. With love and attention, kids know what is going on. Now that grandkid of hers is almost un-disciplinable at 2 years old. He ignores people, can’t speak much other than calling his parents and grandparents, throws tantrums when he doesn’t get what he wants. It’s hard I know but I can’t take it when people say “they won’t understand/know anyway”. Kids are smart people! They have a mind and can think!
Sorry… end rant.
Ella
What a clever boy! My son is the same with the back street driving. He yells at me from the back seat when he thinks ive gone the wrong way (he’s 3). Very cute photos of Bean!
Ashley
Bean has a better sense of direction than me…what’s up with that?
sherene
He looks so adorable.:))
Alaina
Aw, cute! I’d rather have Bean’s voice be on our Garmin than that annoying lady’s voice. My niece Roo went through the same type of phase but it had to do with red and green lights. She’d shout “GO!” when the light turned green, regardless of whether there were cars in front of us 🙂
MaryanneD
Bean is adorable…so grown up!
Stephanie @ Our Marriage Adventure
That first photo is so freaking adorable. Now how on earth are you fitting behind a steering wheel?
Shelley
Just wait – the back seat driver thing gets worse. My daughter noticed when I didn’t use a turn signal and chastised me. “You didn’t use the turn SINGLE.” Every damn time.
Jenn
Adorable! Hey, what kind of car seat do you use? Do you like it? Did you ever use it rear facing?
Melinda Moss
He will always be that way. My first child was a male who never noticed how we went anywhere and had a lot of trouble finding his way once he could drive. One of my younger twins,, on the other hand, would startle me by the time he was 3 if I took an alternate route going anywhere. He seemed to believe he had the authority to question me. He can’t drive yet but I do not worry about him knowing his directions.
Lindsay (Young Married Mom)
That’s crazy. My little one’s barely six months, but I think he knows when I’ve made a wrong turn. We got lost in SoHo a few months back and he cried until I sorted us out again. I think he knew where I went wrong, but just couldn’t tell me. . . .
Sarah H.
I’m mega-impressed!
Lindsey
Garmin-esque Bean! ROFL!
Amy
I remember when my son started doing that. I was shocked. And then one day my mom had to drive him to school and she was worried about getting lost and I told her not to worry because Carter knew the way. He was 2.
Britt
My son (27 months) likes to say weeeeee! when we go over hills and around big curves. He likes to comment on my highway speed by telling me that we will crash if I don’t slow down…In the beginning I would reassure him, it’s ok Mommy is a safe driver, we won’t crash…but it has turned into the same kind of response I give his backseat-driving-father — “If you keep talking about how I’m driving, the car will stop moving, it runs on silence….SHHHH!”
Lori @I Can Grow People
Porter likes to say “wheee!” when I am driving. Every time we arrive at our destination he says, “Home! Home!” even if it isn’t home. He also likes to point out EVERYTHING he sees out the window: letters and numbers on signs, trees, vehicles.
Tressa
Dear Lord, those blue eyes could kill me!!!!
Bean man is looking more and more like a little boy. He’s one smart cookie, cute smart cookie 😉
Megan @ Red Dirt and Crazy
I can’t believe how much Bean is growing!! He’s such a big boy now!
Q-Tip is doing the same thing. It blows my mind everytime she does it and she’s been doing it awile. What really got me the other day was her pointing out the road the library is on. We haven’t been there for quite some time until 1 day a week ago and now everytime we drive by that road she says…there’s the library road! AMAZING!
🙂
Megan
Nicole
Love it! He is too cute –
Just a little bit of advice for you – Bean’s chest clip needs to be at his upper chest and should be at his armpits. Also for forward facing carseats the straps need to be AT or ABOVE the shoulders but not too far up bc in a crash he could “slip” out – when rear facing the straps should be AT or BELOW the shoulders. Its all due to impact in a car accident 🙂